Obituary of Frances Cooney Donnelly

Our beloved Donnelly Matriarch Frances Cooney Donnelly, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 3 at Oceanside Rehabilitation Center in Rockport, Massachusetts. She will be remembered as a pillar of the communities she touched and the Rock of the Donnelly Clan.

She was a dedicated wife and partner to the love of her life, Edward Donnelly. 

Frances's greatest gift in life was being a Mother. raising her eight children (Mary, Bobby, Edward, Frances, Jamie, Jane, Margaret and Daniel) in the heart of the Catskill Mountains. She was also a proud grandmother to 19 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

She lived a life that was admired by many. A true Renaissance woman Frances had many talents. Her career spanned fighting for women's rights, running for local office and managing small businesses in their local community of Windham, NY. She had a passion for travel, singing, crosswords and the quickest sense of wit this side of the Mississippi. 

Her fondest memories were always spent with family. Celebrating any occasion including birthdays, holidays or the annual tradition of "ladies week" where the entire Donnelly clan gathered at her home in Windham every August.

These weeks were always filled with the best of memories, learning how to cook alongside grandma (even if the entree was oatmeal!), sitting lakeside at White Birches, improving the family property (putting the youth of the family to work!) or enjoying the evenings filled with music, stories (and believe me the stories were endless) or the echos of laughter throughout the house until the wee hours of the morning.

She was someone who loved unconditionally. When you needed a confidant she was there with a listening ear, when you needed somebody in your corner she always showed up, when you wanted that chocolate in the store she slipped you a few bucks, when you needed a cry, a laugh or a pep talk she was never a doubt she would be there to provide it. She was a monumental woman and will be dearly missed. We know her spirit and soul will live on in all those lives she shaped and she will never be forgotten.